Nigerian Agricultural reforms to help its rice compete with international brands soon

Nigerian rice would compete favorably with any brand in the world, said the acting President, Mr. Yemi Osinbajo recently. He said the government was mindful of agriculture development and would do everything within its powers to encourage local farmers to improve the output and quality of local rice. “It is worrisome that locally produced rice is still expensive than imported rice from India, China and Thailand,” he said. Sounding a note of optimism he added that “By subsiding rice production for farmers, more jobs are created so we are also planning to introduce some kinds of assistance to our farmers in due course.” Speaking on the need to change the narrative on rice production, Osinbajo said that Nigeria has enough capacity to grow quality rice that would meet the demands of not only Nigerians but all the countries in Africa.

Reforms undertaken in the agricultural sector by the Nigerian Federal Government’s would bear results as the country would soon start producing local rice, explained Mr. Osinbajo during an interactive session with some middle level civil and public servants on the ease of doing business. If Nigerians can consume what the country produces locally, poverty and unemployment would be easily tackled. We will hold meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture every day if we have to but would leave no stone unturned for our rice to compete with any rice in the world even if, the Acting President Stressed.